Pronounced Mee-toh, My Tho is a beautiful tropical region that is located in close proximity to the Mekong River. It is considered as one of the most fertile areas in Vietnam where there are lush mangroves and acres of coconut trees. It is one of the top destinations to visit when you travel to Vietnam. The main attraction of My Tho is the large number of exotic fruits that are available at the markets. Durian has earned its place as a delicacy in Vietnam. The shape and outlook of the fruit might scare you because it has a large green spiky surface and it produces a distinct smell that is quite nauseating. However, once you break open the fruit you will discover clumps of creamy dollops.
Betal leaf and areca fruit is another favourite for Vietnamese. The combination of betal and areca are served during most of the cultural ceremonies held in the country. Particularly in wedding ceremonies, if a family is wealthy you will notice more betal and areca bestowed upon the guests. Lychees also known as Rambutan in Vietnam is an attractive fruit that can be found at the markets. The fruit is sweet with a slightly sour taste; the edible part of the fruit is the fleshy inside as both the seed and the peel are discarded. Dragon fruit, which is common in most of the Southeast Asian countries, can be found in My Tho. The appearance of the fruit is like a flower that is about to bloom. The taste and the inside is a lot like the Kiwi fruit, there are tiny black seeds set into white flesh with a red grind on the top.
There are some other favourites that are healthy and have significant benefits like the red banana which is used as a cure for rheumatism and kidney stones. Apart from that the fruits you should try when visiting the My Tho Fruit Market are the juicy guava known as Oi, Mangos named Xoai, Star Apples and Pineapples. If you want to visit this extremely colourful and interesting market a good place to stay in would be Somerset Ho Chi Minh City. Here one may choose a serviced apartment Ho Chi Minh City where you can retire to after finishing your sightseeing tour.
Nigel Walters is a travel writer, who writes under the pen name, Fritzjames Stephen. His content is based on the myriad of experiences and indulgences that the world has to offer travellers across all walks of life.
